Improvement in pneumatic telegraphs



` 5 .Sheets-Sheet 1. A. MoN. & M. A. WIER.

Pneumatic Telegraph.V

Patented June 22, 1869.

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' 5 Sheets-Sheet 3. A. MCN. 6L M. A. WIER.

Pneumatic Teiegraph.

No. 91,694. Y Patenied June 22, 18169.

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No. 91,694. Patented June 22, 1869.

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Pneumatic Telegraph.

Patented June 22, 11869.

No. 91r694.

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ARTHUR MCNUTT WIER vAND MARSHALL ARTHUR WIER, oF ELM LODGE, NEWTON ROAD,RAYsWATER, GREAT BRITAIN.

Letters Patent N 91,694, datedlane 22, 1869; patented 'in England,August 29, 1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN PNEUMATIC TELEGRAPHS.

The Schedule referred to 'm these Letters Patent and making part of thesame.

To all /whomit may concern:

'Be it known that we, ARTHUR MGNUTT WIER and MARSHALL ARTHUR WIER, bothof Elm Lodge, Newton Road, Bayswater, in the county of Middlesex, andKingdom of Great Britain, have invented'certain Improvements inSignalling and indicatiiig-Apparatus; and we do hereby declare that thefollowingr is a full and exact description thereof, reference heilig hadto the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference markedthereon. A

Our invention of improvements in signalling and indicatingfapparatusrelates to that class of signallingapparatus known as pneumatic, inwhich an index pointer, or dial isoperated by causing a column of air,"

under slight compression, to' act upon a flexible diaphragm, thedeflections or motions of which are communicated, by means of anyconvenient and suitable gearing, to the dial-index orpointer, wherebythe signals are indicated.

Instruments constructed on the principle 4of the aneroid barometer havebeen heretofore tried, but have not heen successful, as they weredelicate in construction, and liable to be deranged.

Our improvement, therefore, has for its object to v dispense with thedelicate mechanism heretofore employed to give motion tothe index,pointer, dial, or shutter.

This we effect by making the ,air-chamber so as to obtain greaterelasticity in its exible sides, and are `thus enabled to apply simplerand more reliable mechanism for the purpose of transmittingr motion fromit to the pointer. l

NVe also employ a close metallic vessel or chamber, made with thincollapsible sides, similar to the small air-vesselaboi e referred to,but usually of m uch larger dimensions, instead of India-rubber balls,or other similar contrivances for the purpose of compressing the columnof air `to 'give the required signals.

1t will now be understood that when the larger airvesselor chamber atone` end of the apparatus `is collapsed, by pushing in one ofthe sidesby means of anysuitable mechanism, the vsmaller air-vessel or chamberatthe opposite end will be,expanded,land.

made to act on the index, pointer, or dial by the mechanism with whichit is connected, and thus cause it to make a visible signal.

Instead of an index or pointer, a revolving dial'- plate, in connectionwith the collapsible-sided metallic air-vessel orchamber abovedescribed, may be 'em-l ployed. On this revolving ldial-plate aremarkedthe orders or signals it is desired to transmit, and above it isplaced a fixed plate, in which an opening is made, through which thevorders or signals on the movable dial-plate below may be seen;

\Ve connect the, cdmmunicator of a signalling-apparams, say on boardship, with the engine-shaft, for

the purpose of indicating the number per minute and direction ofrevolutions ofthe engines. v lVe place an eccentric or cam upon theshaft ofthe engine, which, in its revolutions, presses -upon a leverattached to a collapsible-sided close metallic air-vessel or chamber,capable of being either expanded or compressed, and which gives motion,either to the right 01 left, (according as it is expanded or compressedto an index,

pointer, or shutter on the dial-plate of the communicater.

The same arrangement of apparatus may be applied to the rudder of avessel, and will indicate, by the indexor pointer on the dial-plate,whether the helm has gone to port or starboard, in accordance with theorder given.

One method by which the first part of ourI invention may be carried intoeffect, is illustrated on sheets 1 and 2 of the 'accompanying drawings,which represent that kindof instrument which we employ for' the purposeof transmitting signals in one direction from one place to another, as,for example, from the officer in charge of a; ship, on the bridge,'tothe engineer in the engine-room, or for any similar purpose.

Figure l isa partial vertical section; aid

Figure 2, a plan, with dial-plate removed, of the apparatus as arrangedin the instrument for sending signals, andwhich we call thecommunicator,

Figure 3 is an elevation, with part ofthe casing removed; and A Figure 4is a plan showing dial-plate and index of the instrument for receivingsignals, and which we call the indicator. v

A isa close metallic air-vessel or chamber, made with thin collapsiblesides, and by preference formed of German silver', and is shown insection at Figure 5, sheet 1.

The said close air-'vessel A is fastened on one side to a board, B, bythe stem C, projecting from its centre.

From the other side4 of the close air-vessel A, another stem projects,carrying a screw, D, to which is attached, by lock-nuts E E, `a toothedrack, F, capable of a sliding motion on the guide G, attached to theframe-work of the instrument.

`A pinion, H, fast upon the rocking-shaft I, gears into the rackF. A Y

The rocking-shaft I is carried in bearings in the frame-work and casingof the instrument, and has fixed to it, nearnoue end, a segmental rack,J, (see also Figure 6,) which receives motion froln a second pinion, K,fast on a second short shaft, L, provided with a cranked handle, L',outside the casing of the instrument, by moving which the closeair-vessel A will be expanded or contracted at will, by means of thepinions and racks.

`index or pointer to the desired position all times pointto similarsignals on the two opposite tached to the board, has a passage formed init, which communicates with the interior ot' the close airvessel.

A pipe, M, forms a continuation of this passage. (See tig. 5.)

One brauch, M, of said pipe M communicates by a tube with the indicatorat the distant station, to be hereafter described.

The 'other branch, M2, of the pipe communicates with a second andsmaller eloseair-vessel, N, iixed to the frame O. This sn'iallel; closeair-vessel we call theindex air-vessel. It is shown in sect-ionaud sideelevation at Figure 7 ,4 sheet 2, toa scale double that 'of the othertigures.`

0u a rocking-shaft, I), working on centres in the frame, is fixed asmall segmental toothed rack, Q, which receives motion from a rod, R,connected to it at one end by a pin, and at the other end secured by anadjusting-screw to a stem projecting from 'the side ofthe indexair-vessel o'pposite to that which receives the end of tube Mi.

A pinion, S, gears with segment-rack tk). The axis of said pinion passesthrough itsbearing and the dial-plate T, and carries an'indexor pointer,T', outside the said dial-plate.`

The segment-rack Q has an arm, U, projecting on .the other Side ot' thelrocking shaft, whiclr carries a sliding-piece, V, adjustable by ascrew, W, as shown.

A slight co1mectingrod, X, is pinned to slidingpiece V at one end, andat the other end is acted ou by a steel spring, Y, which is adjustable,as regards its tension, by the screw Z, the purpose ot' said spring Ybeing to return the .index to zero after the transmission ol'the signal.

Pins 1, 2, in the segment-rack Q, come to rest against the llame, so asto prevent too lunch motion in either direction.

The indicator, represented in figs. 3 and 4, is provided with au indexair-vessel, N, similar to that above described, to which is connectedthe end of the tube M.l leading from the communicator.

v Thisindcx air-vessel N' acts, by mechanism similar to thatabovedescribed for the index air-vessel ot' the4r communicator, upon theindex or pointer ot' indicator.

It will now be readily 1un'lerstood,tl|at on turning the handle L', soas to depress the rackfl", the side ot' the close vessel A will hepressed inwards, the air therein will y'be slightly compressed, andconsequently that contaiuedhin the tubes Ml and M, the index airvessel Not' the communicator, and Nl ot' the indicator. The two latter willtherefore expand in equal degree, and each will move, by the mechanismdescribed, its

over the corresponding dial-plate. l

The object ot' appl ying the small air-vessel N to the communicator, isto secure isocln'onism or unison in the motions ot' the two indices, sothat both may at dial-plates, which are precisely similar to each other.

In order to secure still greater certaintyot` unison in the motion ot'the indices,it is ldesirable that the length ot' the tube lVlZ in thecommunicator, extending from the larger air-vessel, A, to the smaller,N, should he about equal to that ot' the tube M', extending to theindicator. it is then convenient to arrange it in the form ot' a coil,as shown at Mix; or, instead ot' accil ot' tubing, a spiral\spring mayhe applied to the imlex-spindle, in such a manner as to'oti'er aconstant resistance equivalent to that et' the tube leading totheindicator. This` arrangement is shown4 in Figure 5, where T is theindex-spindle, andB, the spiral spring, attached to itat one end, and atthe other to the framing O.

Figures 8 and 9, sheet 3, represent a modification of the tirst part ot'our invention, which renders it applicable to the purpose of signallingon board war-ships, from the oiticer in charge, stationed inthepilot-house, or other part ofthe ship, to the men engaged in working theguns, so as to enable him to transmit the necessary orders as to theirworking, either to the starboard or port side, and to any number ot'indicators on either or hoth sides.

The communicator and indicator-instruments employed are preciselysimilar to those above described; lult the-tubes M', leading from thelarge air-chamber, A, in the connnunicator to the various indicators,are arranged so that each such tube and indicator can he shut o tf fromthe communicatorby means .of the taps shown in each; or the whole of thetubes and indicators'can be sluit ofi' at one side, leaving those at theothe side in act-ion; or any number ot' tubes and indicators maybe shutot'on both sides, leaving the rcmainder iu action, at the will of theoperator.

Fic. f) shows the dial-plate ior the communicator and indicator, asapplied to the'above-mentioned purpose.. v

This modification is. ofcourse, equally applicable to any other purposein which it is desired to transmit signa-ls from one place to severalothers.

The apparatus, as above described, and illustratedin sheets l, 2, and 3,is applicable where it is desired to transmitsignals in one directiononly, .whether it be tor issuing orders on board ship, or forcommunicating from one point to lanother on land.

When it is -desired to communicate inboth directions with themoditications heretofore referred to, it-

will be necessary to have a communicator and anindicato at each station,with a separate air-tube connecting the comnnmicatorat each station withthe indicator at the o'ther.

In. order to obviatc. this inconvenience, we prefer to adopt themodification shown `on sheet 4, Figure 1U, in which it will 'ne seenthat a connnunicator only is employed at each end of .the line ot'-Vtelegraph or signalling-distance, one air-tube heilig used to connectthem together, such communicator serving, in turn, as communicator orindicator, according as it is used t'orscnding or receiving a message orsignal.

Thctigurc represents the comi'nunieatorarranged according to thismodifica-tion, and', further, shows how a bell or otherwsuning-lustrnment may be caused to sound, to draw theattentiou of theperson -iu attendance.

A is a collapsible, close air-vessel, similar to that:`betin'edesrribed, the side of which is acted upon by 'similar mechanism.l.

The neck of the air-vessel is tted with a tap, T, which can be opened orshut ti'omthe outside of the apparatus.

The branch M leads to the connnunieator at the other station, (and whichcommunica-tor is, in all respects, similar to the one underdescription.)

The branch M| isfittcd with a two-way tap, B, which opens andcloses'comnnmicatitm between the branchpipes M3 Mand the branch M",alternately, as required.

'lhe branch-pipe M3 leads to a small index air-vessel, Ni, in connectionwith the index ofthe instrument, and the branch-pipe lll* leads toanother or secondary air-vessel, C, of similar.construction to N.

A direct thrust from the said air-vessel C releases the trigger D,supporting the chipper ot' a bell, E, the sound ot' which will callattention.

The clapper ot' the bell is worked by a simple clockwork arrangement,asis usually employed iu telegraphic instruments. 1

This method of releasing the elapper of an alarmbell is also applicableto the other modilicatious ot'.ap paratns herein described.

It'willnow be understood, that when the communicator is in its normalcondition, and out of action, thel tap T is closed, shutting off'v thepassage from the airvessel, and the tap B stands so as to opencommunication Vbetween pipe M4 and the tube lll,;leadiug from thedistant instrument, in which position the secondary air-vessel C can beacted' on by the distant' inst. ument, to release the alarm-bell. v

When the operator requires to receive'a signal, he moves tap B, so as,to shut` oi air-vessel G from pipe M2, and opens pipe M3 to Mz. He willthen he able to read off the signal or telegram indicated on the dial bythe index putin m'otion by the index air-chamber N 2. When the operatorrequires to send a message or signal to distant station, he opens 'tap"l-, in neck of large air-vessel A, .keeping open, hy tap B, `the passage between pipes M2 and M3. Then, on pressing in ward the side ofair-vessel A, the index of' the communicator may bemoved so as to pointto the desired -signal, that in the distant instrument moving in unisonwith it, and pointing to the corresponding signal on its dial-plate. l

In this way, by having the dial-plates marked with thel letters ofthealphabet, or other conventional'signs, a conversation may be carried onbetween two distant places. p Y p Figure l1, sheet 5, illustrates amethod by which fa revolving dial-plate, in connection with thecollapsiblesided metallic nir-vessel, may be used, instead of an indexor pointer.

The upper diagram shows the iixed dial-plate T, with an opening therein,through which the signal marked on the revolving dial-plate, T', beneathis visible.

- The lower diagram shows the revolving dial-plate mounted on theindex-spindle, in the same manner as the index or pointer, and a similarair-vessel or other mechanism to give motion to it.

Then the revolving dial-plate is.llarge, and its momentum consequentlyconsiderable, it will he preferable to make the zero-Space thereon inthe middle of that part ot' its circumference on which the signals aremarked, so that, in order to bring any desired signal under the opening,the angular movement ofthe dial from zero may be the least possible. Inthis case, the index air-vessel will be constructed as shown in Figure13, sheet 5, so as to allow of both contraction and expansion.

Figure 12,1sheet 4, illustrates the apparatus employed to connect thecommunicator with the engineshaft, in order to denote the number ofrevolutions pe minute thereof.

A cam or eccentric, A, is fixed to the Vshaft E, and, byits revolutiontherewith, acts upon a lever, B, which operates upon acollapsiblefsided, close air-vessel, O, to which a tube, D, isconnected, and carried to a communicating orindieating-apparatus,'similar to that rst described, fixed in anyTdesired position, but the index air-vessel of which is constructed asshown in iig. 13, sheet 5, so as lto allow of both expansion andcontraction. Y

At exery revolution ofthe shaft, the close vessel O is acted on by thelever B, and-the pointer of' the indicatoris caused to move once foreach revolution ot' the shaft, so that the number of such revolutionsper minute can easily be determined',byascertaining the number ofmovements of' the pointer in a given time, by means of a time-piece.

The cam or eccentric A causes the lever to expand the close vessel whenturning in one direction, and to contract it when turning in theopposite direction, thus either exhausting or compressing the air, andso causing the pointer to move to the right or left ofthe zeropoint, inaccordance with that direction, and by that meansindicating whether thevessel is going ahead or astern. t

Figure 14, sheet 4, shows a similar method of appl ying thelastementoned improvement to steering-apparatns, in order that, when therudder is moved in either direction, its position may be indicated, atja distance, to the captain, or other person in charge ofthe vessel.

B is a lever, so connected to the rudder as to move in accordanol` withit.

C is acollapsible-sided, close air-vessel, the side of which is drawncnt or pressed in as -the lever B is moved to the right or left of acentre line,

An air-tnbe,-D, connects the close vessel Cl with the indicator at adistance, the index or pointer of which moves to the right or left ofthe zero-point, according as the close vessel is expanded or contracted,in a similar manner to that last described Vfor indicating the directionof revolution of the engines.

Claim.

Having now described the' nature of our said invention, and the mannerin which the same is to beperformed, we would have it understood thatwhat we claim as our invention, is

The application and arrangement of the air-chambers, in combination with.the racks, pinions, and other. mechanical parts, as described andillustrated, whereby the expansive and contractive action oi the saidair-chambers is made to impart motion to an. index or dial, either tothe right or left, as desired.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names hereto, in the presenceof two subscribing witnesses.

A. M. WIER. M. A. WIER.

Witnesses:

B.D. FOTHERGILL, W. H. BECK.

